Sunday, August 7, 2011

The following links are to magazines that I read periodically. It is incredible some of the detail and work that some individuals put into this hobby. Scale Auto Magazine has a good forum for individuals really wanting information on all aspects of the hobby.

Currently I have been pouring through these magazine and other places to get some idea of what to build next. The earlier post of Morgan's Porsche was the last model on my work bench. You would think out of 300 kits I would find something to build.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Porsche is the ultimate race car and my nephew Morgan is a car guy so this one is for him. He requested the color and won this at the families Christmas white elephant exchange in 2010. I know, your saying it takes me a long time to build something...and you are right..it does.

Porsche's version of a weekend race car

This was a Tamiya kit with all the perfect fit and realism that Tamiya brings to the modeling community. The color is a one coat lacquer by the Testors Corporation call "Mythical Maroon". The car depicts a race car that you can drive everyday to work. A bold concept for a car manufacturer but in this case its pulled off pretty well.

The bulged rear fenders to accommodate big tires and wing are evidence the car is built for racing

The wing is pretty aggressive looking

The engine in this beast is the famous Porsche flat six cylinder that is turbocharged and puts out approximately 430 HP. Notice the antennae on the roof of the car. That is for radio contact with your wife or girlfriend while racing on the weekend so you can get the current grocery list to pick up on the way home from the track.

The view most of the competition sees!!!

This car epitomizes the scale dream theme for people out there who have interest in fast cars. What would be better than a car you can drive to work everyday then go racing on the weekend with it. Try that with your Chevrolet Impala!!!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

This 1972 Oldsmobile 442 was an awesome kit to build. One of the few model kits I want to build again just to have the pleasure of building. The fit and finish of the kit was superb. It is one of Revell's "Special Edition" kits that are great. This is also my wife Kim's favorite car. I built it for her.

This is s nice ride!!!!

Black on black on black. Black car with black interior and black top..not the way I would have ordered this particular vehicle in 1972. There was a Hurst Olds version that I really like. Maybe I will buy another kit and build for you all to see. If anyone requests that then it is a done deal!!!

Does it get any better than a convertible interior?

My wife is a carbon fiber freak so I used carbon fiber decals for many of the components in the interior of this Oldsmobile. The back of the from seats, console, door trim and the dash all have carbon fiber accents. The floor has "fuzzy fur" on it to depict carpet.

Oldsmobile 455 CI powered muscle!!!

The underside of the model showing detail.

I dont build vehicles as accurately as some professional builders do..I build to what suits me and what I am confident in doing. The undercarriage on some vehicles from the 60's had over spray on it during the build process. Please forgive me, but I dont research my subjects that close. Just wanted to show what a model looks like underneath all the nice stuff on top!!!

A nice looking automobile

Thanks for looking at my scale dreams. I do hope you are enjoying. More to come in the near future. I plan to follow a build of a subject very soon. Please comment if you have something to say...good or bad is accepted.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

This is a Mercedes DTM race car. This is the European equivalent to NASCAR racing here in the states. The model kit is manufactured by Tamiya. A high quality Japanese model supplier and they market some real cool RC Cars and Trucks.

The decals placed on this car were very detailed and there were lots of them. Notice the body ripping away to depict the engine.

Tamiya kits are very high quality and go together very well. They range in price from $25 to $90 for the 1/24 scale sports car series. They also have military. 1/12 F1 race cars and airplanes. They are some of my favorite kits to build. This kit had about 120 pieces and I did purchase a separate photo etch detail set to add to the realism of the model.

The best view angle of any car. Notice the detail of the decals on the body of the car.

Photo etch bake detail is seen behind the wheel

Detail of ripping away decals exposing engine.

Hood removed exposing engine underneath.

I dont build just one type of car, in fact I have built several motorcycle kits as produced by the Tamiya model manufacturer. This model took about two months to build. It was painted a semi gloss Tamiya grey paint and then the decals were applied over it. The clear over the decals is actually liquid Future floor wax. It is easy to use and provides good sealing over the detailed decals.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

One of my scale dreams happens to be the Buick GSX. I believe they only built this particular model in 1970 and 1971. They only came in yellow or white and had big block Buick power. The model kit manufacturer is Revell and they did a good job with this kit. I have added what is called a photo etch detail set to this model. It adds realism to the grille, script and interior details to the kit. I also added bare metal foil around the trim of the car to simulate chrome trim.

This is the big block Buick engine - 455 CI.

I believe this is the best view of any automobile - the 3/4 photo from the rear

This model is 1/24 scale and that is a popular scale among scale modelers who build cars. As I get older the strain on my eyeballs gets more intense but i do enjoy the relaxation building these gives. This particular kit will cost $20 - $25 and comes in approximately 100 pieces. Most of the model is white plastic with pieces in chrome and clear plastic.

This is the first of several models i will be showing. I do hope if you stop and read my blog that you will enjoy the pictures and ask questions or comments on the many models I have built.

Monday, July 11, 2011

This is my journey through dreams I have had as a young boy growing up into the old man I am today. I have always been a car model builder. I have never eclipsed the talent of many individuals in the hobby but feel I am good enough to post a blog about my accomplishments. Please be patient with me as i tell my story, show my work and ramble about my scale dreams.

I have always been a car guy. I will not use this forum to brag about life size vehicle ownership. I have been building car models since I was 5, laying out the pieces on the living room floor and letting the family pet parakeet escape with pieces as he flew around the house. Kits were crude in the 60's as were my building techniques. Yes, I glued the kits together then...but had a brother who was 10 years older than I was to control the amount of glue fumes I actually inhaled.

I continued to build through my teen years with support from my parents who would sit in the car while I shopped at the local hobby store in Salem, Oregon. Now at 52 its my wife who sits in the car while I run in to check out the latest kit arrivals. She is so supportive that I owe her many thank you's for all of the 300 kits we currently have stashed in our attic.

During school and my early married years I suffered a hiatus away from my scale dreams. I have three wonderful children who were much more important to me during that phase of my life than building model cars. Between the ages of 19 and 40 I built 2 models. I don't have those models today but vividly remember the experience. My kids are grown and very successful today and its with one of them urging me I am writing this blog. Telling the world about my passion for scale dreams!!!

Today I have approximately 277 model kits of which 89 are built. Don't ask me where they all are. I have built kits for my father-in-law, grandsons and other family members. Always at our family white elephant Christmas function I give a kit or two away. It is always sought after by every family member. I must be doing something right. I like the fact others can enjoy my scale dreams.

My plan for this blog is to post pictures and descriptions of scale dreams I have built, the one I am currently building (I never work on more than one dream at a time) and discuss the quality of the dream, the fun of building and a little history about the subject. Its my story about my scale dreams...now sit back and enjoy!!!